Wind-power apparatus



Nov. 16, 1926. 1,607,317

C. H. SPENCER WIND POWER APPARATUS-V 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2'1, 1924' y l lllllllli g r mung Y IIIIIIIII W Nov. '16, 1926.

C. H. SPENCER WIND POWER APPARATUS Filed June 27. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 16 1926. I 1,607,317 C. H. SPENCER I WIND POWER APPARATUS Filed June 27. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 nmunm i atented Nov. 16, 1926. p '7 I Y UNITED STATES PATENT orrics.

CHARLES H. SPENCER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

WIND-POWER APPARATUS.

Application filed June 27, 1924. Serial No. 722,682. g I

This invention relates to wind powers, air as it is deflected inwardly by the front, l-Ild. more particularly to wind powers of concaved faces of the individual blades. considerable size. 7 The air is deflected from the concave face An object ofthe invention is to provide of each blade and expelled across the inter- 5 a wind power of very large overall dimen mediate space between the two series of sions such, for instance, as hundreds of feet blades in each wheel, so that the air dehigh and long. Another object is toprovide flected from initial contact with one blade 1 large size apparatusfor the absorption of may react on the alternate, following and power from wind pressure by means of turoppositely inclined blade, and by this is m bine wheels presented edgewise to the wind, reversely deflected again toward the offset and to provide for the concentration of air series, this successively alternate and reversunder wind pressure so that it will be efliing deflection of the air continuing until ciently expended against blades of turbine its force is spent. Any number of turbine wheels. Another object is to provide a turwheels may be employed and arranged in 15 bine wind wheel structure including a gang coaxial position along and fixed on the main of wheels connected so as to concurrently shaft 3, which is amply supported in suitoperate to deliver power as" an absorbing able bearings 4, provided in and by an apshaft or shafts, and further to provide a propriate frame 5. turbo-wind power in which a gang of tur- Preferably, the framework 5 includes a 20 blue wheels are mounted so'asto swing as circular base 5*, provided with wheels 6,

a unit on a horizontal orbit about a vertical and these are mounted upon circular and axis, thus to maintain the face ofthe apconcentric tracks 7, having a vertical axis paratus to the wind, irrespective of the dipreferably passing near the axis of the rection from whichit may come. shaft 3, so that the frame and the gang of 25 Other objects and advantages will be turbine wheels vV may be rotated to conmade manifest in the following specification stantly present effective, pressure receiving of an embodiment of the invention illusportions of the blades during their rotation trated in the accompanying drawings, to the wind, irrespective of the variation in wherein direction of the wind. 30 Figure 1 is afront elevation and vertical Means are providedfor concentrating and section of the apparatus. directing the air under wind pressure so Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus. I that it will be effective upon only asuitable Fig. 3 is an end elevation with a portion portion of each of the wheel blades during of the apparatus in vertical section. their rotation, since the wheels operate and 5 Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal section are disposed edgeto the wind, To accomof theapparatus showing an. air resistance plish this, there is disposed upon the frame 9 reducer. a concentrating chamber, or series of cham- The present invention consists of a gang bers, formed below the top or roof 10, which of wind wheels WV, preferably of a type is shown as approximately horizontal and 40 having substantially radial blades 2, which extending from a point approximately at are presented edgewise to the wind; the the top of the gang of wheels, forwardly. blades 2 of each wheel preferably being Vertically below the top of the roof 10 provided with a concave, effective front is an upwardly and rearwardly inclined face, and each wheel comprising two paralbottom or floor 11, terminating at its rear, lel series of the blades, Ihe blades are sohigher end at the horizontal plane, appr xiset in each series that their front faces inmately, of the main shaft 3, so that only 1 cline inwardly toward a medial plane bethe top, front quarter of the turbine wheels tween the sides of the turbine wheel, and are exposed to the wind pressure. The wind the contiguous or inside radial edges of the collecting chamber between the top 10 and blades 2 of the series are preferably stag. the bottom ll 'ay be provided with paralgered or ofiset circumferentially, as clearly lel, vertical partitions 12, which extend shown in Figure 1, thus forming an interfrom front to rear of the concentrating mediate, distributing space peripherally chambers andhave'their rear edges curved around each wheel for the dispersion of the at 12 concentric tov the main shaft 3, and,

are arranged adjacent to the periphery of the wheels ll.

From this it will be seen that, by the present invention, it is possible to absorb'to a considerable amount the power from an extensive volume of wind, this power being taken by turbine wheels presenting their faces or edges to the wind and being guard ed in portions so as to eliminate wind resistance at those portions of the wheels moving up into the wind.

The power absorbed may be taken from the main shaft 3 as by bevel gears 8, one of which is secured on an axially disposed shaft 9 about which the frame 5 may swing on a horizontal orbit, this shaft delivering power through transmission gears 13 to a distributing shaft or shafts 1%.

The air collecting apparatus may be maintained in facing position to the wind by any suitable means, and may be shifted to said position as, for instance, by a small motor 15, which may be utilized to drive one of the traction wheels 6 of the base of the frame.

In Figure 4, means are shown for utilizing that portion of the air which may be sweep across the diametrical portions of the turbine wheels in such manner as to reduce the friction of the air on the halves of the wheels that are moving up toward the front, deflecting apron. Since that portion of the air which sweeps across the central portion of the wheels can exert but little pressure upon the wheels, 1 provide a back scoop-like shield 16, arranged on the far side of the series of wheels so that the air sweeping diametrically from the front to the rear of the wheels without appreciable effect on the wheels will be deflected downwardly and thence forwardly under the shaft, where the forward tendency of the current of air will, if not having a driving effect on the wheels, serve in a measure to reduce the air resistance encountered by the rotating wheels sweeping through inert air.

The forward undercurrent as to the wheels may be increased by perforating the bottom 11 as at 17 adjacent its upper portion so that the current of air sweeping up over the bottom 11 will have a siphonic effect at and through the apertures 17, and air will therefore be drawn in through these apertures from below the bottom 11 and this siphonic action will, as just suggested, combine with the forward undercurrent of air to increase the velocity of the undercurrent so that the air will move practically in the same direction as the under-portions of the wheels. If desired, a conduit forming a false or inner bottom 18 may be fixed above the bottom 11 at a suitable distance above the apertures 17, and this will confine a portion of the air moving into the chamber between the bottom 11 and the inner bottom 18 to further insure the production of an induced current upwardly from below the bottom 11 and. forwardly over the scoop bottom 16 Further embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to within the principle of: the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a wind power, a gang of turbine wheels disposed coaXially and with edges to the wind, means for deflecting the wind to portions of the wheels moving in a direction with the wind, means for gathering a portion of the air sweeping diametrically across the blades and deflecting the gath-' ered air so as to cause it to move in the direction of that portion of each of the wheels which is moving toward the wind, and means for producing a suction effect to increase the forward movement of the air toward the front of the wheels.

2. A wind track, a base mounted thereon, having wheels engaging said circular track, a frame work mounted on said base, a vertical shaft carried by said framework and concentric with said circular track, a horizontalshaft mounted in bearings carried by said framework, a gear on said horizontal shaft and a' bevel gear on said vertical shaft meshing with the gear on said horizontal shaft, a plurality of wind Wheels mounted on said horizontal shaft, a roof; extending across the top of said framework, an inclined floor on one side and extending across said framework and a plurality of vertical partitions between said roof and inclined floor.

3. 1 wind power comprising a circular track, a base mounted thereon having wheels engaging said circular track, a framework mounted on said base, a vertical shaft carried by said framework and concentric with said circular track, a horizontal shaft mounted in bearings carried by said framework, a gear on said horizontal shaft and a bevel gear on said vertical shaft meshing with the gear on said horizontal shaft, a plurality of wind wheels mounted on said vertical shaft, each of said wind wheels having two sets of radially disposed blades, a roof extending across the top of same framework, an inclined floor on one side and extending across said framework and a plurality of vertical partitions between said roof and inclined floor.

f. A wind power comprising a circular track, a base mounted thereon having wheels engaging said circular track, a framework mounted on said base, a vertical shaft car ried by said framework and concentric with said circular track, a horizontal shaft mounted in bearings carried by said framework, a gear on said horizontal shaft and a bevel gear on said vertical shaft meshing with the gear on said horizontal shaft, a plurality of wind wheels mounted on said power comprising a circular horizontal shaft, a roof extending across inclined floor and having a portion extendthe top of same framework, an inclined ing under said wind wheels and connected 1 0 floor on one side having a plurality of aperto the underside of said inclined floor and tures formed therein, and extending across blades between said Vertical partitions and 5 id framework, a plurality of vertical parallel with said inclined floor.

partitions between said roof and inclined In testimony whereof I have signed my floor and a scoop-like shell mounted on said name to this specificatin.

framework on the side opposite to said H. SPENCER. 

